If you’ve been thinking about expanding your practice, consider this: a growing number of consumers are embracing alternative and complementary medical care. (22) Building your practice beyond its current status can help meet this need and increase your profitability.
Want to learn how to grow your medical practice? The following tips can help you with attracting new patients, retaining existing patients, and streamlining your management systems.
The benefits of growing your practice
Growing your medical practice takes work. However, the benefits can far outweigh the effort. Growing your medical practice can help you:
- Bring your practice up to speed on new technology
- Establish your practice in the community
- Increase the number of patients you see
- Retain existing patients
- Streamline your office systems
- Transform a small practice into a profitable one
Did you know? It can take at least nine months to build up a medical practice. (19)
Grow your practice with your own online supplement storefront
Try Fullscript for free
Evaluating your current practice
Maya Angelou once said, “If you don’t know where you’ve come from, you don’t know where you’re going.” That’s particularly true if you’re looking to grow your medical practice. No matter what your goals for growth are, the first step involves figuring out the current status of your practice. Do you need more patients to remain profitable? Are your wait times too long? Is your patient management and billing software working for or against you? How is your staff performing?
One effective way to figure this out is to conduct a SWOT analysis which measures the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the practice. (11) This type of analysis helps you establish a baseline so you can identify key areas to focus on. Once you know where you are, you can put together a plan to take your practice to the next level.
How to grow your medical practice
If you’re wondering where to start, these ten strategies can help you grow your practice.
1. Establish your brand
Creating a good branding strategy can set you apart from other practices in your community. (15) Building a brand that reflects your uniqueness tells prospective patients who you are and how your practice can help them achieve better health.
Once you’ve determined what distinguishes your practice from others, it’s important to carry your brand throughout all of your marketing endeavors, including your logo, advertising and social media activity, and even the look and feel of your office. This type of consistent messaging gives patients an accurate impression of your practice and how it may help them on their health journey. (7)(24)
2. Advertise to create awareness
Once you have your brand, it’s time to get the word out. Advertising can make prospective patients aware of your practice and the services you offer. (1) This can include print ads in local newspapers or health publications, as well as local radio and TV spots. Brochures can also introduce your practice and detail the health services you provide. These can be made available in your office and can also be distributed to area health food stores, gyms, and natural markets where prospective patients are likely to frequent. (14)
Direct mail is another option with a long history of success, largely because it provides information about your practice directly to a potential patient’s mailbox. (6) Working with a list broker can help target your direct mail efforts by identifying specific zip codes, age groups, income levels, and gender.
3. Enhance communication with existing patients
Retaining current patients is just as important as attracting new ones. (4) While communication and a whole-person approach is a hallmark of integrative medicine, it shouldn’t end once the visit is over. Engaging patients with follow-up communications, appointment reminders, and educational blogs or newsletters can keep patients engaged. Establishing a patient portal on the practice’s website has also been shown to empower existing patients by allowing them to make appointments online and access their medical information in a secure web-based location. (8)(12)(20)
4. Encourage word of mouth referrals and online reviews to attract new patients
Word-of-mouth referrals from your satisfied and loyal patients is an often overlooked marketing tool, yet it is an effective source of free advertisement. (9)(10) These can be either in-person referrals among family and friends or online through platforms like Facebook, Healthgrades, and Yelp. (26)
According to one study that appeared in Health Marketing Quarterly, patients who ranked their appointments as positive were more inclined to provide a word-of-mouth referral or positive review. (2) Ask these patients for a testimonial or ask them to post online reviews on key rating sites like Google or Yelp.
5. Create a value-added website
Having a website that reflects your brand and details the scope of your services is no longer a luxury for integrative medical practices. (13) But simply building a static site isn’t enough. Today’s patients expect improved communication through a fully interactive website that offers patient portals, the ability to schedule appointments, and informative blogs and/or videos that speak to patients’ general health interests and concerns. (12)
Ensuring that existing and future patients get the most from your website requires a multi-pronged approach. If you are using a professional web designer, make sure they focus on search engine optimization (SEO) to enhance your online ranking. This will make it easier for new patients to find your website. It’s also important to create a website that’s easy to navigate. To keep patients engaged, it’s a smart move to continually add helpful links and fresh content. (3)
6. Tap into social media
It’s always good to meet patients where they are. That means connecting via social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Not only can this keep existing patients connected, it has the potential to drive traffic to your website. Social media can also provide an opportunity to share information on alternative and complementary therapies, as well as upcoming events and other timely information. (23) Because it’s critical to continually update your social media sites, consider hiring an experienced and dedicated social media manager.
How effective is social media for attracting and retaining patients? According to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ (PwC) Health Research Institute, one third of consumers now use social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for health-related matters. This includes seeking medical information, tracking and sharing symptoms, and broadcasting how they feel about doctors, treatments, and health plans. The PwC survey also noted that 41% of consumers reported using social media tools when choosing a medical facility or doctor. (21)
7. Connect with the community
Becoming an active member of your local community can help potential patients, other medical professionals, and the media get to know you and what your practice offers. Take part in local health fairs. Join your city’s Chamber of Commerce. Find opportunities to speak on your area of expertise at community or business events—and be sure to advertise these events on your website and social media platforms.
Developing a good relationship with your area’s media outlets can also raise the profile of your practice and establish you as a knowledgeable and trusted expert in integrative medicine. Make yourself available for on-air or in-print interviews. Offer to write a weekly or monthly column for area newspapers or magazines. As a bonus, these articles can also be posted on your website.
Did you know? If your time for community involvement is limited, distributing press releases can keep local media informed about any noteworthy news involving your practice. These can be sent via an email blast and posted on your social media channels.
8. Network with other integrative practitioners
Reach out to other integrative healthcare providers in your area who offer treatments you don’t. Offer to provide referrals to their medical practices in exchange for referrals to yours. For instance, if you’re an integrative or functional medicine doctor, you may benefit from developing a professional relationship with an acupuncturist or chiropractor.
Consider developing a referral strategy with local hospitals as well. This is an often untapped opportunity for expanding your practice since hospitals are increasingly offering some alternative and complementary care or are open to referring patients to an integrative practitioner. (16)
9. Review your staff
When expanding your practice, it’s a good idea to periodically review your staff. Remember, your office staff is typically the first impression of your practice for new patients. Are they friendly and efficient? Do they go the extra mile? Periodically review your team to make sure they are proficient and reflect your personal and professional ethos. Make changes if needed. (5)
10. Streamline your office procedures
Updating your software is another area that can foster growth. Is your current office software secure and does it enhance your practice? If not, it may be time to upgrade. The right software can save time, reduce costs, and improve accuracy. (24) This is especially true for patient records, as well as medical billing or accounting software. Electronic health records (EHRs) also allow for the sharing of key health information among a patient’s medical team. This leads to more accuracy and better care across all of a patient’s healthcare providers. (25)
Did you know? As of 2021, nearly nine in ten (88%) office-based physicians use an EHR. (26)
The bottom line
Growing your medical practice can help keep it both relevant and profitable. But before jumping into the nuts and bolts of expansion, take time to honestly review where your practice currently is. Taking a measured and well-thought-out approach to growth can improve patient care, expand your patient load, modernize your management systems, and help ensure future success.
Quality supplement plans in less than a minute
Try Fullscript- Advertising and publicity. Code of Medical Ethics Opinion 9.6.1. American Medical Association. https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/ethics/advertising-publicity
- Akbolat, M., Sezer, C., Ünal, Ö., & Amarat, M. (2021). The mediating role of patient satisfaction in the effect of patient visit experiences on word-of-mouth intention. Health Marketing Quarterly, 38(1):12-22.
- Baxter R. (2010). Exponential growth using the internet and your web site. Facial Plastic Surgery, 26(1):39-44.
- Bisera C. (2012). First impressions and beyond: marketing your practice in touch points–Part I. Journal of Medical Practice Management, 27(4), 209-211.
- Choat, D.E. (2005). Office support staff. Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery, 18(4), 267-270.
- Elrod, J. K., & Fortenberry, J. L., Jr (2020). Direct marketing in health and medicine: using direct mail, email marketing, and related communicative methods to engage patients. BMC Health Services Research, 20(Suppl 1), 822.
- Evans, W.D., Blitstein, J., Vallone, D., Post, S., & Nielsen, W. (2015). Systematic review of health branding: growth of a promising practice. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 5(1), 24–36.
- Frequently asked questions. HealthIT.gov. https://www.healthit.gov/faq/what-patient-portal
- Gombeski, W.R. Jr., Martin, B., & Britt, J. (2015). Marketing-stimulated word-of-mouth: A channel for growing demand. Health Marketing Quarterly, 32(3), 289-296.
- Gürcü, M. & Korkmaz, S. (2018). The importance of word of mouth communication on healthcare marketing and its influence on consumers’ intention to use healthcare. International Journal of Health Management and Tourism, 3(1), 1-22.
- Kuechel MC. (2010). Auditing your practice: nonfinancial variables to survive or thrive. Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North America,18(4), 487-490.
- Labow K. (2010). Taking a traditional web site to patient portal technology. Journal of Medical Practice Management, 25(4), 240-242.
- Lombardi, G., & Baum, N. (2011). Health 2.0: how interactive Web sites are changing the healthcare industry. Journal of Medical Practice Management, 26(4), 242-244.
- MacStravic RS. (1985). Word-of-mouth communications in health care marketing. Health Progress, 66(8), 25-29.
- Maley, C. & Baum, N. (2010). Branding your medical practice. Journal of Medical Practice Management, 25(6), 379-382.
- Marcus, D.M. (2020). Alternative therapies in academic medical centers compromise evidence-based patient care. The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 130(4), 1549–1551.
- Office-based physician electronic health record adoption. (2019). Health IT Quick-Stat #50. Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. https://www.healthit.gov/data/quickstats/office-based-physician-electronic-health-record-adoption
- Royer, M.B. (1996). Electronic patient records: cost savings, efficiencies and competitive strategies for specialty physician groups. College Review, 13(1):23-33.
- Satinsky, M.A. (2008). Setting up shop: Building a practice from the ground up. North Carolina Medical Board. https://www.ncmedboard.org/resources-information/professional-resources/publications/forum-newsletter/article/setting_up_shop_building_a_practice_from_the_ground_up
- Schnock, K.O., Snyder, J.E., Fuller, T.E., Duckworth, M., Grant, M., Yoon, C., Lipsitz, S., … Dykes, P.C. (2019). Acute care patient portal intervention: Portal use and patient activation. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21(7), e13336.
- Social media ‘likes’ healthcare: From marketing to social business. (2012). Review: PwC Report on the Impact of Social Media in Healthcare. HealthIT Answers. https://www.healthitanswers.net/social-media-likes-healthcare/
- Tangkiatkumjai, M., Boardman, H. & Walker, DM. (2020). Potential factors that influence usage of complementary and alternative medicine worldwide: a systematic review. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 20, 363.
- Technology and Practice Committees of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Advertising Committee of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology. (2021). Guidance on the use of social media in reproductive medicine practice. Fertility and Sterility, 115(5):1151-1155.
- Trent N. (2009). Branding your medical practice with effective public relations. Journal of Medical Practice Management, 25(3), 183-185.
- Wertheimer, D.E. (2005). Physician practice management. What works. A one-two punch. Health Management Technology, 26(6),14, 16.
- Zhang, M., Lu, J., & Hallman, W.K. (2021). Sharing on Facebook and face-to-face what others do or approve: Word-of-mouth driven by social norms. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 712253.